This buttery blackberry lemon bread is made with fresh lemon zest, lemon juice, and is loaded with fresh blackberries. It is covered in a blackberry and lemon glaze. You only need 10 ingredients to make this moist lemon blackberry bread!
This post was originally published in July 2021. It has been revised with an improved recipe and new pictures.
I love a loaf cake that is made with simple ingredients. This blackberry lemon bread is based off of my marble loaf cake recipe. This recipe though uses a food processor instead of an electric mixer, though you could also use a large blender!
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Tell me about this recipe!
- This blackberry lemon loaf is super soft and moist because of the sour cream in the batter. I love using sour cream instead of milk in my pound cakes because it gives you a delicious tang!
- The sugar is put in the food processor with the lemon zest, this allows the oils of the lemon zest to be released. This is how you make lemon sugar, and will give you a sweet lemony bread.
- No need to cream butter for this recipe, instead melted butter is added to the batter.
- You only need 10 ingredients to make this bread, plus you probably have all the ingredients already in your pantry.
- I've drizzled my loaf in a blackberry and lemon glaze which is very simple to make, but the cake also tastes delicious without a glaze.
Ingredient Notes
- Butter: I always use European style butter in my baking. European butter has a higher butterfat content, making it richer and creamier.
- Blackberries: make sure to use juicy blackberries that are in season, if it isn't blackberry season though you could substitute in raspberries or blueberries! Make sure to cut your blackberries into quarters and toss them with 1 tablespoon of flour so they don't sink.
- Sour Cream: sour cream makes loaf cakes so moist and rich, but you could substitute in an equal amount of Greek yogurt.
- Flour: I'm using all purpose flour in this recipe, known as plain flour in Europe.
How to make this recipe:
One
Step One: Preheat your oven to 325 degrees. Generously butter a 8.5x4.5 inch loaf pan and line with parchment paper. Chop up your blackberries, either into quarters if they are small blackberries, or into eighths if they are large. Toss them with 1-2 tablespoons of flour. By chopping them up small and tossing in flour, it'll help the berries not sink to the bottom.
Step Two: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
Step Three: In a food processor, or in a blender, blend your sugar with your fresh lemon zest. Blend until the sugar takes on a light yellow color.
Step Four: Stop the food processor, and add your wet ingredients - melted butter, sour cream, vanilla extract, 3 large eggs, and lemon juice. Turn your food processor back on and combine.
Five
Step Five: Pour your wet ingredients into your dry ingredients, and use a rubber spatula to fold everything together. Fold until you no longer see streaks of flour and make sure to scrape the sides of the bowl. Then fold in your chopped blackberries.
Step Six: Pour batter into the prepared loaf pan. Even out the top using a small offset spatula, then tap on the counter a few times to get rid of any air bubbles. Bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes, a tester should come out with a few crumbs and the bread should be a golden brown. Let it cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then lift it out and let it cool completely on a wire rack.
Seven
Recipe Tips & Tricks:
- I highly recommend using a weighing scale and measuring out your ingredients the metric way. It makes a huge difference to your baking and is the most accurate way to bake!
- If you aren't weighing your ingredients and are using a measuring cup, then use the fluff and sprinkle method to measure your flour. Go to this link here to find out how to do that. If you use too much flour, then you won't have those delicious moist crumbs!
- Make sure all of your ingredients, including the sour cream, are at room temperature before you start baking.
- If your loaf cake is browning too much in the oven, cover it with aluminium foil.
- Your blackberry loaf should be completely cool before you pour the glaze on top of the bread, otherwise the glaze won't stick to the cake.
Frequently Asked Questions
My favourite type of pan for pound cakes is a loaf pan or a pullman loaf pan. I make sure to use pans that are a lighter metal, as darker metals will cook the sides and bottom faster, making them darker than the rest of your loaf. If you only have a 9x5 pan, you can bake it in there but you might need slightly less baking time.
Yes you can use other fresh berries, though I would not use strawberries as they hold a lot of moisture.
Keep it wrapped up in plastic wrap at room temperature for up to 4 days.
Yes! Slice up the loaf and wrap each one in plastic wrap. When ready to eat, take out of the freezer and let it thaw overnight in the fridge.
If you find your glaze is too thick, add a bit more heavy cream to it! If the glaze is too runny, add some more sifted powdered sugar.
Try these simple recipes next!
Have you made this recipe? Make sure to tag me on Instagram @alpineella and leave a review below if you have! If you want more baking ideas, you can follow me on Pinterest.
Recipe
Blackberry Lemon Bread
Equipment
- 8.5"x 4.5" loaf pan
Ingredients
Loaf Cake
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 3 eggs room temperature
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ cup sour cream room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- zest 1 lemon
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 cup blackberries cut into quarters
- 1 tablespoon flour for tossing the blackberries
Glaze
- 4 blackberries
- 1 tablespoon heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 cup powdered sugar sifted
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 325°F/170°C. Grease and line a 8.5x4.5" loaf pan.
- Cut your blackberries. If they're small blackberries, cut into quarters, and if they're large cut into eighths. Toss with 1-2 tablespoons of flour in a small bowl and set aside.
- Melt your butter in a microwave or in a small saucepan. Once melted, set aside.
- In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
- In a food processor or large blender, blend together your sugar and lemon zest. Do this for about 20-30 seconds, or until the lemon zest releases their oils and your sugar takes on more of a yellow color.
- Stop the food processor and pour in your wet ingredients - melted butter, vanilla extract, fresh lemon juice, 3 eggs and sour cream. Blend together for 20 seconds.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and fold everything together with a rubber spatula. Fold until there are no more streaks of flour. Add in your chopped blackberries and fold those into the batter.
- Pour the batter into your prepared pan and tape it on your counter a few times to remove any air bubbles. Bake for 80-90 minutes, a tester should come out clean. After 10 minutes, take it out of the pan and let it cool completely. If your loaf is turning too brown in the oven, cover it with aluminium foil.
- Blend your 4 blackberries until you have a thick mixture. Add to the powdered sugar, heavy cream and lemon juice and whisk. Add more powdered sugar if it isn't thick enough, or more cream if it is too thick. Pour over your cooled loaf.
Will
This is a gorgeous recipe - nicely balanced flavours and a lovely sweetness from the icing
Ella
Thanks so much for your review!